Sub rosa
by Blue Blossoms
Summary: "I know your secret. And I highly doubt you want everyone to know, especially one person." Tom drawled, smirking. "Or do you?" She said calmly, almost amused and walked past him.
1. Chapter 1

"Four Butterbeers, please!"

The bartender nodded. It was Hogmeads weekend and the inn was brimming.

"I don't really appreciate it, Malfoy."

"Oh lighten up Riddle! It's going to be a tough year might as well be the last chance to properly loosen up." Said Abraxas Malfoy securing a table away from view line.

"Aren't you coming?"

Tom Riddle simply sat down on the stool at the bar counter. Getting his answer Black walked towards the table secured for rest of the group.

Tom observed and listened around the inn sipping his first glass of butterbeer. He knew it wouldn't be his last. His _friends_ were keen on getting drunk this year and the next. Blasted coming of age!

The barmaids were whispering and giggling in the corner of the counter as they observed one village girl. The bartender was getting irritated. It was always the weekends. His inn 'The three broomsticks' was the local water hole and socialising centre of the village as well as the students. If only it came without any splitting headaches!

The sun had set and the inn was packed with the students as well as villagers. The inn was bustling with noise and laughter. People were busy getting drunk and barmaids gossiping.

It was his first firefrisky after four butterbeers. His _friends_ had been very persistent. He had never drunk so much before and sure as hell was getting tipsy but the snippets of conversations were quite interesting.

" . . . . I tell you Beth has been hanging on to him since last week and she is quite there."

"Of course. And remember what she said, don't you?"

The barmaids nodded to each other before busting into giggles. Tom turned to see his group busy getting drunk and flirting with girls. He only hoped to get to the castle in dignified state; after all he had a reputation to keep.

Beth made her way to the counter with spring in her steps. Bill was going to be hers tonight. She had been wooing him since last week and if everything went as planned tonight he would be hers forever.

The door opened and walked in a girl taking off her coat.

"Oh sorry!" said the girl who clashed into Beth. Beth simply glared and walked away. _Silly Hogwarts girls! Walk around as if they own the place. _With a huff she reached the counter and nodded to the barmaids. Beth was forever grateful to the barmaids, if not for them it would have been difficult. She looked around to check if someone was watching, just in case.

Abraxas signalled to the barmaids to bring another round of firefrisky for their table before turning to the girl again.

Firefrisky came; Beth grabbed the nearest once and inconspicuously laced two of them with ten drops of lust potion each. Just in case. She turned to someone calling her name.

Barmaid grabbed the firefrisky leaving the two glasses near the Beth girl. _One more day and I can breath again. _

Tom grabbed the one left just as a girl sat down next to him and ordered a firefrisky. Firefrisky was so good that he can't be bothered who sat next to him and anyway he couldn't see her face.

Beth turned back and grabbed the two glasses; her Bill was drunk and impatient. Someone from beside scowled at her but she couldn't care less.

Tom heard the girl order another one with a scowl as he sipped his. He was almost done when the girl turned to look at him. His breath hitched. She was beautiful.

Abraxas and the group made their way towards the counter. It was time to go and they were in for luck. Tonight they were all getting laid. If only Riddle joined too it would be perfect. As they got closer he saw Riddle deep in conversation with a girl. Interested he walked quickly. The girl was laughing obviously drunk. He reached the counter to pay but his lord didn't even acknowledge him. Smirking he made up his mind.

"My friend over there will be staying." Abraxas nodded towards Riddle. The owner nodded accepting the pay for a room too.

"What about Riddle?" said Black as Abraxas manoeuvred the group towards the door.

Abraxas turned to the group who were trying to look over his shoulder at their lord, not catching any glimpse of Riddle.

"He will be at school tomorrow. If anyone asks just say he is tired and sleeping." Said Abraxas with finality. The others nodded, too drunk to argue and walked out. Behind them Malfoy walked last.

He eyed as she finished the firefrisky. She was drunk yet moved with grace. It was so enchanting to watch, he simply couldn't take his eyes off her. His eyes moved to lips as she put down the glass and licked her lips. Blood coursed though his body, eyes darkened with lust. His eyes flicked to gaze into her eyes with need.


	2. Chapter 2

Nice and warm. She never wanted to get up but the light was falling on her face. Facing away she signed in relief. She always closed the curtains, why hadn't she last night? Last night . . . . . wait a minute. She slowly opened her eyes. Small, shabby room and noises from the outside. 'The three broomsticks'. _Oh_ _fish!_ She turned her head slowly to the other side. He was out cold. _Good. _

Quietly holding out her hand she summoned her wand non-verbally. Even so slightly she moved to her side and non-verbally cast _silencio _on the boy who seem roughly her age. Still cautiously she summoned her clothes, got dressed in the bed quietly and got out of the bed. With a flick, the boy was dressed in his. As a precaution she removed any of her perfume from his clothes and bed.

To anyone it would look like he had slept after getting drunk. His clothes were quite wrinkled too. Nodding to herself she put on her flats and walked out. Before closing the door she turned back and cancelled the spell and silently closed the door. Looking around the corridor, she pulled on the hood and climbed down. The bartender looked up.

"I presume his friends paid for the room?"

"Yes. Can I get you anything?"

"No. Don't tell, will you? Just say he slept in."

The bartender simply nodded and went back to his work. He heard the door shut.

With a sigh she walked briskly towards her hotel, pocketing her wand safely. It was very early in the morning, still a bit dark. Enjoying the fresh air, she stretched herself. Today was important day; she had an appointment to keep. Opening the door she nodded to the owner and climbed up stairs to her room. Taking a quick look around the room, noticing no disturbance she hung the coat and walked to her suitcase. She laid out her clothes for the day on the chair and looked at time, it was only 5 o'clock. Setting the alarm for eight she slipped into the bed waving her hand at the window; the curtains shut close.


	3. Chapter 3

The Great hall was abuzz with chatter and laughter but the Slytherin table was oddly quiet, too quiet that usual. The sixth years were especially jumpy except Tom Riddle, the perfect student as ever. Tom mentally smirked, silently enjoying himself.

\- Flash back –

He could feel light through his eyelids. Frowning, he opened his eyes. Hissing, he shut them tight, suddenly confronted by a massive headache. It was as if a herd of hippogriffs has stomped on his brain and the light was not helping either. Where the hell was light coming from anyway? And the noises too. Waving his hand at the light source, he sighed in relief. But the headache was still there, so were the noises. Slowly shifting on his back, he opened eyes ignoring the intensified pain. _It _was not sixth year Slytherin dorm.

His mind went blank. The room was shabby, bed was dirty – The three broomsticks. Last night's events flashed before his eyes. Cursing his _friends _and promising them hell, Tom sat up as the situation sunk in. He needed to get to the castle unseen and fast.

Looking down at himself he saw his clothes were wrinkled. Stretching the hand, he summoned his wand. Feeling the familiar rush he smiled which turned into a grimace. Summoning the shoes his put them on trying to ignore the headache and stumbled towards the door.

The corridor was empty. When he finally reached downstairs the owner turned to him.

"Your friend paid the bill." He said and went back to his work.

Tom walked out without a word. Last week he had discovered a secret passage to the Honeydew behind the humpbacked witch statue. He decisively walked towards the Honeydew shop inconspicuously, slipping in with other customers and made his way to the secret passage and tapped it with his wand. The passage opened, sighing in relief Tom slipped in through and reached the other end. Casting a disillusion charm on himself he tapped the statue and slipped through. When he reached the Slytherin dormitory a student was already entering, Tom followed him thanking his luck and slipped into his dorm.

Cancelling the charm he walked up to his bed and sat down, summoning a hangover potion, emptying it in one swing and sighed in relief. He noticed that the beds were empty except one. Summoning others hangover potion he hid them in his wardrobe and taking out his clothes locked it. Then cast _tempus _\- it was only 7 o'clock. Taking the towel he made his way to the bathroom.

\- End of the flashback –

Headmaster Dippet stood up as the last student took his place.

Tom raised an elegant brow. _Dippet_ _looks_ _quite_ _excited_ _today_ _and_ _at_ _ease. Maybe the pigs will fly today. _Seeing as the dinner was yet to arrive he resigned to listen to the Headmaster.

"Good evening to everyone! Before we dig in I have good news to share with you all. Hogwarts for the first time in its history is welcoming a foreigner who will be starting her sixth year this fall."

As if on cue the doors swung open to a girl standing outside the Great hall. She casually started walking towards the staff table where the stool stood with Deputy Headmaster Albus Dumbledore stood holding the sorting hat.

Tom observed the girl as she walked towards the stool nonchalantly, without sparing any glance to anything or to anyone. He raised a brow, everyone looked at the enchanted ceiling and it was humanly impossible to be unaffected by the stares and the uncomfortable silence. Intrigued, he started scrutinising her closely. She was taller than the normal girls at sixteen, about 5ft7inchs. Had long silky straight black hair, which reached her waist. Her eyes were coal black too, set in an angular face. Not much of it was visible; her silky hair was flowing about lightly, hiding it for clear view. Her unbuttoned robe showed the impeccable uniform. Not many could be so elegant in the uniform except him, of course. As she walked the robe billowed majestically, her gracefulness only amplified the effect.

The girl stopped at a small distance before the teacher's podium, waiting for Dumbledore to call her name.

"Pensée; Lisa."

_So French then. _She walked up and sat on the stool, facing the student body for the first time. _She is beautiful! _She was pale, it made her thin red lips and perfectly sculptured eyebrows stand out. The girl didn't even look perturbed or nervous if any she looked bored. Dumbledore placed the hat on her head even so she didn't even bate an eye at it. Tom watched the scene with interest; never had the hat taken more than a minute if at all to sort but it was over two minutes now and the hat was yet to sort her. Five minutes later the sorting hat finally opened up, silencing the whispering Great hall.

"RAVENCLAW!"

Tom watched the girl walk down towards the cheering Ravenclaw table calmly with a small smile among the excited whispers of hat staler, he couldn't see much of her reaction from his seat.

The dinner appeared and everyone dig in, excitedly talking about the new girl. Tom saw everyone trying to inconspicuously glance at the French girl who was politely smiling and chatting with her excited fellow housemates who were exuberantly introducing themselves and shooting questions at the new girl. _A classic French beauty with brains, interesting. The year sure has gotten interesting._

**AN: Pensée : a thought or reflection put into literary form, an aphorism. **

**It's not a proper French surname but somehow it describes the character. So please stick along and you will find out.**


	4. Chapter 4

The prefects led the Ravenclaws to their dormitories in the West Tower. Everyone was chatting as they year wise followed the prefects, the first years looking around in wonder. Finally, prefects stopped before a giant oak door with a majestic bronze knocker. A prefect started explaining the purpose of the knocker and their unique password system as the knocker opened its mouth. It recited a riddle with piercing gaze and quickly one of the excited first years answered, making the door swing wide open.

All the first year's eyebrows disappeared into their hair as they caned their necks to look at the bookshelves that were towering up to the high ceiling. Only a small space above the huge fireplace was spared for one single portrait. The prefects quickly in practiced precision gave the welcoming speech, recited rules of the house and led the first years to their dorms.

A grand double staircase, which was situated facing the entrance, led to the separate dormitories of boys and girls. Prefects split up to show the first years their bedchambers while the sixth year girls excitedly guided the new girl to their shared bedchamber. They stopped short at the entrance of their room, gaping foolishly at the sight of usual five beds.

Lisa watched her new year mates getting hysterical among themselves, talking frantically about a bed or lack thereof. But before she even opened her mouth to calm them she felt hair rise on the back of her neck and looked down the corridor. Feeling a hair thin pull she followed it down the corridor to its dead end.

Lisa let her eyes roam over the naked stonewall, finding nothing out of ordinary she touched the stone blocks with her palms to see if there was a secret passage of sorts. Before she got any further with her search the block under she palm gleamed warm with faint golden light. Lisa stumbled back as a door materialised right in front of her eyes. She heard a collective sighs and footsteps towards her in the background and nonchalantly turned to look at her year mates.

"Well, seems like I found my room. Goodnight then." Said Lisa with a faint smile looking at their flummoxed faces and silently slipped into her new room.

Faint smile slipped off the face as she leaned against the door; palm absentmindedly casing a strong _silencio_ as it touched the door. It hadn't changed a bit. A hesitant knock sounded against the door and she opened the it to see a house elf standing with her luggage.

"Thank you."

Taking her luggage silently she pulled it inside and shut the door. Taking out the wand, she silently cast a series of spells, most of which worked only one way. Taking a deep breath at the completion of one task, she turning back looking at the room and quietly unpacked for bath.

Like a silent ritual, she unpacked and arranged the room as she'd the first time. Lying on bed, hands folded on her chest, she looked around the room with a reluctant sense of nostalgia. The room hadn't changed a bit. _As if Hogwarts was preserving it. _She scoffed and inspected the two hours' hard work. The ceiling charmed to show the night sky with abundant twinkling stars at night. The solar system hanging along with other cosmic entities littered across the ceiling only to be seen in broad day light. Unhindered view of the grounds and the sky from the window across from the bed. The wardrobe pushed to the wall on her left and a slab of mirror in the corner on her right. Desk pushed in the other corner and betwixt them a map of Hogwarts stuck to the wall. _Potter is such offhanded with his things. _Smirking, she fell asleep at the clock struck midnight.


End file.
